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What can Sam Gagner do for an encore?

Blackhawks Oilers Hockey

Edmonton Oilers’ Sam Gagner salutes the fans after scoring four goals and totalling 8 points against the Chicago Blackhawks during NHL hockey action in Edmonton on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Gagner ended the game with 4 goals and 4 assists. Gagner tied Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey for the most points in a game in Oilers history. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, John Ulan)

AP

Sam Gagner’s incredible eight-point game against Chicago is something that we haven’t seen since Mario Lemieux scored eight points in 1989. While one game makes for an incredible feat, how you follow it up could mean a lot for Gagner.

One thing Gagner won’t want to do tonight against Detroit is to follow in Lemieux’s footsteps.

The game after Super Mario scored eight points in ’89, he followed that up with a stinkbomb of a game going pointless against Washington with a -3 rating in an 8-0 rout by the Capitals. Gagner going against Detroit provides the potential for a similar beat down, but he’ll have some things working in his favor.

Detroit’s top goalie, Jimmy Howard, is out of action with a broken pinkie finger which means former Oiler and current Wings backup Ty Conklin gets the call in goal. Conklin has had a poor season backing up Howard and the Wings have been just an average team on the road this season.

If Gagner wants to cement home the reasons why he shouldn’t be traded, notching a couple points against Detroit and continuing to produce will help.